1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mixing of a fluid or plastic mass with a plurality of extruders to produce a homogeneous output material.
2. Prior Art
It is desired to mix a number components together, to make a combination of plastics thereof. Mixing components in a screw extruder, either a single or a twin screw machine, will often compromise the result of the mix. Some components are sensitive to temperature, pressure, or shear. Adding those components to the feed line of an extruder may therefore result in an incomplete or unsatisfactory discharge therefrom.
It is an object of the present invention to a provide a mixing arrangement which will permit numerous components to be added to an extrusion in-process on a dynamic melt mixer machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mixing arrangement which will permit customized process mixing and extrusion of a plurality of components, each component added to the system at its optimum location and at its optimum condition for the process being worked.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a customizable mixing and extrusion arrangement which can be readily tested at successive stages of the mixing/melting process to permit alteration of component characteristics on "as-you-go" basis.
It is yet a still further object of the present invention to provide a mixing/melting extrusion apparatus which may be readily adapted to various material dwell times within its mixing and melting chamber, even as such apparatus is retrofitted onto existing single screw main extrusion machines.
Earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,749,279 entitled "Modular Mixing Apparatus for Extruding Material Including Rotoring for Processing Modules having Variable Speed Independent Drive Means" and 4,447,156 entitled "Modular Mixing Apparatus Including Interchangeable Fluid Processing Means" each relating to apparatus utilizable with the present invention, and each incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.